1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of sports equipment. More particularly, the invention pertains to a quick-release fastener for releasably attaching the head to the shaft of a lacrosse stick.
2. Description of Related Art
The game of lacrosse is considered to be the oldest team contact sport of North American origin. Historical evidence suggests that the game of lacrosse was played by various Indian tribes, such as the Iroquois and Hurons, as early in time as the 15th century. It generally is accepted that the original purpose of the sport of lacrosse was to physically and/or psychologically condition Indian warriors preparatory to actual combat or, in some instances, to itself function as a game forum for the settlement of tribal differences. While the equipment utilized in the sport of lacrosse has, of course, evolved substantially over the years, one all-important piece of equipment whose basic constructional characteristics have remained constant is the lacrosse stick or “crosse”.
Since the inception of the sport, the lacrosse stick has comprised an elongate stick having a butt end and a forward end, and a head integral with or fixedly attached and coaxial to the forward end of said stick. Typically, the head comprises a frame including at least one side wall element extending forwardly of the forward end of the stick and in a laterally divergent manner from the center line thereof, and a nose element extending transversely across the forward end(s) of said side wall element(s), said nose element traversing the forwardly extended center line of said stick. The upper rim of said head frame defines an open mouth wherethrough the lacrosse ball is received into and shot, passed or checked from the lacrosse stick. In plan view, the head frame typically defines a generally isosceles triangular area extending coaxially and forwardly of the forward end of the stick. Generally, the rear portion of the head frame is arcuately formed, the radius of curvature of said rear portion being selected such that it defines an accommodating surface against which the lacrosse ball usually rests, while the ball is retained in the throat portion of the head frame. Suspended from the lower rim of the head frame is a netting defining a bottom closure of the frame.
With the decreasing availability of high-grade ash or hickory wood, decreasing availability of the woodworking skills necessary to form and fabricate lacrosse sticks having integral one-piece wooden stick/head frame constructions, and in further view of the labor intensive nature of the fabrication of such integral one-piece wooden stick/head frame constructions, it has become commonplace to fabricate lacrosse sticks using a straight stick or shaft element formed of straight grained wood or wood laminate or a tough, lightweight metallic or reinforced plastic tubular material, such as in the nature of a thin gauge metallic extrusion or a fiber reinforced composite plastic material, and to affix to the forward end of the shaft a separate head frame comprising a tough synthetic thermoplastic material, such as a high impact strength nylon material prepared and/or sold under the trademark, ZYTEL®, by DuPont de Nemours & Company, Inc., Wilmington, Del.
In such modem versions of a lacrosse stick, the head frame typically comprises a rearwardly oriented coaxial socket element to receive the forward end of the shaft therein. Typically, the head and shaft are fastened together at the junction thereof using a fastener, usually a screw, extending through a portion of the head and shaft at the junction, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,910,578. Often, athletes also place tape around the junction of the head and shaft, for added safety to prevent the fastener from falling out.
Thus, the modem lacrosse stick, having a separate head and shaft, allows athletes to exchange the heads and shafts, such as in cases where the head or shaft becomes worn or damaged, or where a different head or shaft is desired for play or for various other reasons. Thus, often athletes exchange the head or shaft, even during a game. However, a screwdriver or other suitable implement typically is required to remove the screw, which also is relatively time-consuming, considering that often the exchange must be made during a brief time-out or between plays. Therefore, there is a long-standing need for a quick-release fastener for releasably attaching the head to the shaft of a lacrosse stick, allowing the head and shaft of a lacrosse stick to be quickly separated and exchanged, while still providing means for securely fastening the head and shaft during play.